Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(81)

“No!” Mila gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Yes. Worse, he moved her right in, put a ring on her finger, and told her he was going to take care of her and the baby and they’d be a family.”

Mila squinted and inched closer to me. “What’d the bitch do?” Her words were scathing and dipped in acid.

I gripped on to the counter, the emotional turmoil hitting me all over again. Clay had just told me the other night when we’d gone to bed and talked more about the future and what we both wanted. I had finally asked what drove him off from dating me last year and he told me the truth about Stacey. The story ate at my gut, but maybe repeating it to my best friend would help the heartache I felt toward his situation with his ex.

I took a deep breath and let it all out. Once done, I sat there gutted all over again while my best friend processed.

Mila flattened her lips into a hard, white line. “That’s messed up.” Mila’s voice shook with anger. My best friend had a feistiness I loved but a temper I despised. She could go off half-cocked at any given moment.

I rushed to assuage the situation. “Yes, it is. As you can see, he loves kids. And as much as Clayton is a man’s man, macho guy, he has a really huge heart. His ex did a number on him. I couldn’t allow him to get his hopes up about Lily and then be let down. Not when things are so good between us and it doesn’t matter what the outcome is anyway.”

“You’re a better woman than I,” Mila offered.

“I doubt that very much. Still, that’s why. Okay? I just needed to vent to you about it.”

She nodded and pursed her lips. “It’s cool. Crazy wild when you think about the potential.”

“For now, let’s just leave it alone and not bring it up.” I placed my hand on hers. “All right?”

“You got it. I do have some wicked cool news for you.”

I smiled because she was smiling.

Mila placed her finger on the table and traced random circles on the countertop.

“What? Tell me. I could use some good news.”

Mila’s amber-colored eyes were misty when she set her gaze on mine. “Atlas couldn’t wait…and, well…we uh.” She choked on her words.

A thrill rippled through me. “You eloped! Didn’t you?”

Mila chuckled, hopped off her stool, and came around to where I stood. My emotions battered me like golf-ball-sized hail. I’d really wanted to have a little something for her. I’d live with her decision, but I wanted to see my best friend, my soul sister, get married to an amazing man.

Her grin didn’t abate when she grabbed my hands and put them on her stomach. At four months, her tiny athletic frame made her look almost six months along.

“We couldn’t wait to find out what we were having, so we went to one of those Peek-A-Boo Baby places and got a special ultrasound. Moe…we’re having a girl.” Her smile was huge.

A girl.

My best friend was having a baby girl.

“Oh my God! A girl. We’re having a girl!” I jumped up and down and wrapped my arms around Mila and held tight. “I’m so happy!”

Right then Lily ran in the room, saw us jumping like silly schoolgirls, and jumped right along with us, clapping her hands. “Why we happy?”

“Love bug, Mimi has a baby girl in her belly!”

Lily’s eyes widened and she wrapped her hands around her auntie and kissed her belly. “I loves you already.”

Mila stroked Lily’s hair while we both cried happy tears.

“I cannot wait to buy her pretty dresses.” I could see it already. Mocha-colored skin, wild, dark curly hair. She’d look fantastic in red.

Mila frowned. “Why can’t I just borrow all the clothes you have saved up in the garage, you hoarder!”

Laugher spilled easy between us. “You can and more! Now we plan the baby shower!”

“Actually, about that, I discussed it with Atlas and we both made an executive decision.”

I frowned. “You promised I could have a party!” I reminded her. I wanted to stomp my foot but reined in my childlike desire. “You have to celebrate your love and your baby,” I encouraged.

Mila nodded. “Yep, we agree. So we want to have a combo wedding and baby shower. Small, just our closest friends. We’ll celebrate both our marriage and our baby on the same day.” She lifted a wary gaze my way, probably expecting me to balk at the idea.

“Honey, that’s really rather perfect.” I bit my lip, imagining the options already.

Her entire face lit up so bright I might have needed sunglasses. “Really? You like the idea?”

I looped my arm around her neck. “I love it. Let’s start planning right now!”

Mila shrugged and hugged Lily close. “No time like the present!”



* * *



Another week gone and no word on Kyle. The cops were baffled. We were angry. Matisse, two weeks into her healing, was still walking around zombielike. Clayton was ready for my sister to leave. Every time we went to bed at night, he made a point to tell me how uncomfortable he felt having her in the house. She hadn’t fully shared what had happened between her and Kyle or whether or not she was still in a relationship with him when he attacked her. Of course, she’d gone into detail with the police, but they wouldn’t share that information with us even if I’d asked. No, it was time for my dear sister and me to have a very serious chat.